TISS blames Centre for aid rollback for backward students

Mumbai city news: TISS director S Parasuraman said he would issue a clarification on the issue.

At the start of the academic year, TISS announced that it would no longer provide non-NET fellowships to researchers (HT)

After Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) scrapped financial aid to students from backward categories, its director S Parasuraman said the decision was taken as the Centre had not reimbursed the money.

In a circular issued on Thursday, the institute had said that it would no longer provide financial aid to students from scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST) and other backward categories (OBC). This was because, according to the circular, the central government had not reimbursed the cost borne by the institute despite repeated requests.

The circular confused students, leaving them unsure of the extent of the rollback. “The circular doesn’t specify which of the scholarships are being scrapped. We will soon meet the authorities for clarification,” said a student.

Speaking to HT, TISS director S Parasuraman said, “We have not cancelled any scholarships. If the government doesn’t provide us with the money how can we provide assistance to students? We will soon issue a clarification on the matter.”

This isn’t the first rollback of financial aid at the institute. At the start of the academic year, it announced that it would no longer provide non-NET fellowships to researchers owing to a freeze in funding from the central government.

In the absence of UGC funds, the institute has been paying around Rs3,000 a month to both MPhil and PhD students.

The circular also said that the institute was moving to an Aadhar-linked biometric attendance system.

Students are also opposing the institute’s decision to make it mandatory for them to furnish Aadhar cards.